Executive Director - Center for Audit Quality - CAQ

The Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) is a high-profile, not-for-profit organization created to serve as the public policy voice for U.S. audit firms registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). Its mission is to enhance investor confidence and public trust in the global capital markets by:

Fostering high quality performance by public company auditors

Convening and collaborating with other capital markets stakeholders to advance the discussion of critical issues requiring action and intervention

Advocating policies and standards that promote public company auditors’ objectivity, effectiveness and responsiveness to dynamic market conditions

In fulfilling its mission, the CAQ challenges the public company auditing profession to: (1) fill its public interest role with boldness, rooted in the core values of integrity and trust; (2) construct public policy reforms to enhance the reliability and relevance of financial and business information received by capital markets participants; (3) communicate with capital market participants to foster understanding of the public audit process and confidence in its integrity; and (4) support the long-term sustainability of the public company auditing profession and the value it provides to the continued growth and stability of the capital markets.

The CAQ enables the public company auditing profession to meet the demands of 21st-century auditing by establishing and communicating an integrity-driven mission and effective strategy aimed at keeping pace with the variety of new initiatives for corporate governance, control, and risk management.

The CAQ is an independent organization affiliated with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The CAQ has its own governing board and operates autonomously, with its own budget. The Governing Board oversees the activities of the CAQ, including authorization of general policies, priorities, public policy positions, strategy, staffing and funding.

Position Summary

The Executive Director of the Center for Audit Quality will be an individual highly regarded and recognized within and among capital markets, the public company auditing profession, corporate governance and public policymakers and the news media. Charged with shaping and effectively executing a strategy to fulfill the CAQ’s vision and mission to public policy stakeholders, he/she will be responsible for all matters pertaining to the establishment and implementation of the CAQ’s policies and strategic priorities.

Key Relationships

Reports to Governing Board of the CAQ (12 Members); CEO of the AICPA (on matters relevant to the AICPA’s fiduciary responsibilities)

Board comprised of 12 individuals, including the CEOs of the 8 largest public company audit firms, the CEO of the AICPA, and 3 independent members of stature

Other key relationships: Investors, regulators, corporate governance and public policymakers, academics, the media, and corporate groups.

Ideal Experience

This individual will be highly regarded and recognized in capital markets and the investor, audit committee, business and regulatory communities. Experience in forming or leading business coalitions or other public interest associations would be preferable. He/she will possess professional public policymaking experience, including working within professional coalitions in the public interest. With a demonstrable understanding of corporate governance and public company auditing issues, and excellent presentation skills, he/she must be committed to the highest standards of public trust in the profession. The successful candidate will have no personal, reputational, political or institutional agendas that may conflict with the organization’s non-partisan goals.

Critical Competencies for Success

Credibility: At a time when the enhancement of credibility remains a major focus in the public company auditing profession, it is imperative that the Executive Director possess an unassailable reputation and be able to lend his/her stature and set a tone of transparency within the CAQ. The successful candidate, therefore, may not have a deep affiliation with public auditing, but nonetheless will be highly regarded within the profession, by the regulatory and corporate governance communities, financial markets, and ideally by the public at large. The Executive Director of the CAQ will establish immediate credibility as a leader amongst his/her constituencies by:

Promoting understanding, trust and goodwill for the public company auditing profession, through the development of a powerful public policy and communications strategy.

Having not only an appreciation for the profession, but also a unified and resolute commitment to enhancing and maintaining the trust between the public company auditors and investors, regulators, legislators, the news media, academics and other key stakeholders.

Political Acumen: Serving as an energetic and dynamic “voice” for the profession, the Executive Director will provide professional visibility and influence that will be long-standing and respected by:

Acting as spokesperson for the CAQ, working with profession and industry leaders to develop public policy positions related to public company audits and then effectively communicating those positions to the regulators, legislators, stakeholders, the news media and other organizations and individuals of influence.

Developing and participating in programs to educate policymakers, regulators, investors and other stakeholders on public interest matters affecting public company audits.

Effectively navigating across CAQ’s large and diverse constituencies and building consensus around key profession initiatives and positions through political sophistication, substantive credibility, and access to the highest level of both major political parties.

Fostering, enhancing and maintaining the highest-level relationships with other organizations and individuals sharing common goals with CAQ.

Organizational Leadership: The Executive Director will lead the organization, aligning it to its mission, drive execution of critical initiatives and successfully maintain the CAQ’s position as the leading voice in the public company auditing profession by:

Working closely with the CAQ Governing Board to develop, modify and implement organizational goals and strategies.

Maintaining and leading a goal-oriented, successful management team; continually building capacity in the corporate governance/public policy/communications fields; and delivering impact through the organization’s third party outreach.

Leading, and working through others, effectively executing an organizational capability to engage with, understand and ultimately influence the varied constituencies in the capital markets.

Maintaining the affiliation with AICPA and assuring compliance with the CAQ’s relevant policies, procedures and guidelines.

Ensuring the ongoing quality and impact of the CAQ’s intellectual products externally, including CAQ-sponsored and other public events in accordance with developed protocols.

Informing the Governing Board about any and all external conditions and internal operations that might affect the organization’s mission and success.

The recruitment for this role is being done by an external executive search firm Korn Ferry – if you are interested please contact to Debbie Sisley Debbie.Sisley@KornFerry.com

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.